Pop Quiz: Noel Gallagher of Oasis

You may not have noticed, but Oasis returned a few months ago with its first decent album in ages, "Dig Out Your Soul." After getting burned so many times, it's understandable that the mouthy British rock band's fans have thinned out since its mid-'90s heyday. But the Gallagher brothers can still deliver killer quotes and make a nice racket in big venues, which makes them as valuable as ever. We spoke with guitarist Noel Gallagher, 41, shortly after he was attacked onstage in Canada. He couldn't comment on the incident but was happy to talk about the reception that the new album is getting. Oasis plays Wednesday at Oakland's Oracle Arena.

Q:Did you read the reviews of "Dig Out Your Soul" or is that something you generally avoid?

A: Oh, no, I don't avoid them. But by the same rule, I don't go out of my way to read them all. I've seen a few.

Q:They were cautiously optimistic.

A: They're just the same Oasis reviews to me: "Some songs are good, the s- ones are s-, why are they still f- making music?"

Q:It probably goes back to your third album, "Be Here Now." Critics gave it such great reviews before realizing that maybe the music wasn't actually all that great.

A: They've never forgiven us for that. I'm quite proud of that. Yeah, so, I've read a few. They still do that thing where they slag you off for your lyrics, yet they print the wrong lyrics. It's like, hang on a minute, you're printing your f- lyrics, you're not printing mine. That's not what it says on the f- song, you doofus.

Q:Does it really make a difference?

A: No, it doesn't. I'm not sure what the overall goal is of a review. What is its point? Is it to guide people through the quagmire for them to say you should really be listening to this kind of music? If one has four stars and one has got three, does that mean if you're cursed with a choice in a record store you should buy the one with four and not the one with three? Is that what it is?

Q:Have you ever bought a record based on a review?

A: I've bought one or two, and I'm at pain to say this, but they were all f- great.

Q:There you go.

A: No, the reviews weren't great, but the albums were great. I read a review, and if it mentions anything about the Beatles or the Stones or the Stooges or the Kinks, I'm like, "Well, I'm f- buying that." The albums I bought were American albums, funny enough.

Q:How about your live shows? People moan that you just stand there. Have you ever suggested to your brother Liam that he make a little bit more effort onstage, maybe watch a few old Rolling Stones videos?

A: God, have you seen that film "Shine a Light"? Well, Mick Jagger takes it to the next level, man. It's f- ludicrous. But, no, Liam's turned the standing-still thing into a bit of an art form. We can't all be jumping around like f- Jumping Jack Flash, can we? Would it work if Liam was like Mick Jagger? No, it f- wouldn't. {sbox}